Human Islet Distribution Program

Integrated Islet Distribution Program (U24) - 2021

NIH-funded research Beckman Research Institute/city of Hope · NIH-11145975

This program collects and shares human pancreatic islet cells from donors to help researchers studying adult-onset diabetes.

Quick facts

Grant typeNIH-funded research
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionBeckman Research Institute/city of Hope NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (Duarte, United States)
Project IDNIH-11145975 on NIH RePORTER

What this research studies

This program coordinates collection of pancreases from deceased donors and isolates the insulin-producing islet cells at qualified laboratories. The program quality-checks, catalogs, and tracks islets using an online Islet Allocation System and ships samples to approved researchers worldwide. It audits and supports partner islet isolation centers to maintain high standards and also manages pilot-study requests for returned tissue. By supplying real human islets and related tissue, the program helps researchers study diabetes biology and test new treatment ideas using human material.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: Researchers needing human pancreatic islets are the direct users, while people with adult-onset diabetes could be future beneficiaries and individuals interested in organ or tissue donation could support the program.

Not a fit: If you are seeking immediate clinical care or an available treatment, this program does not provide direct patient therapies.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: By making high-quality human islets widely available, the program could speed discovery of better diabetes treatments and cell-based therapies.

How similar studies have performed: Yes—this program has operated since 2002, distributing islets to hundreds of investigators and supporting many peer-reviewed publications.

Where this research is happening

Duarte, United States

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.
Conditions Adult-Onset Diabetes Mellitus
Last reviewed 2026-06-09 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.